Food

Sleeping Bags

I bought a no-name Chinese bag when I started walking -- a fine bag,
but it weighed 2kg and was rated to -8, and was just too warm for New
South Wales. So in 1994 I bought a MacPac Nevé, one of the designs
that has no down on the bottom and takes a slotted thermorest. If it
drops below freezing I need to wear clothing in this, but I've used it
at 3300m in the Hindu Kush in late August and on the rim of the Grand
Canyon in October. I reckon it'd be fine below the snowline anywhere
on the Australian mainland.

Tents and Flies

There's no need for a tent anywhere around Sydney, even in winter --
a tent fly is perfectly adequate. I use a roomy two/three person fly,
and in many kinds of inclement weather I'm sure I stay drier than people
in cramped tents.

Backpacks

I like nice simple packs with nothing dangling off them. I have two
"High Tops" packs made by a bushwalking club associate fifteen years ago,
but if I had to replace those, I'd probably go with a Summit pack.

Stoves

I hardly ever use them, but I own a full set of stoves... I started with a
Trangia (meths stove), then bought an MSR (petrol stove), then inherited
a Gaz (gas stove), and I've just bought a little solid-fuel stove.
I find the gas stove is by far the most convenient -- easier to use
and more compact to pack -- but I've never done any really long walks
(when the MSR might come into its own). Vic has convinced me a solid-fuel
stove is useful to carry if bad weather is expected and lighting a fire
may be a problem.

Clothing

I wear sandshoes (Volleys)
rather than boots for almost all my walking. When you're wading across
rivers or creeks regularly, they make much more sense.